Strut for the cure
A night of fashion, beauty and
shopping — a perfect setting for
women to come together, share
their personal experiences with
liver disease, support those who
are going through it and fundraise
for a great cause.
What A Girl Wants is an annual fundraiser that began in Ottawa four years ago and has spread throughout Canada to Toronto, Winnipeg, Vancouver and London. This is the second annual show in London, and it has been coined as the "ultimate girls' night out!" said Christine McKinlay, chapter manager for the Liver Foundation. Although this event is directed towards women, it is no stranger to men, welcoming anyone who wants to support the Canadian Liver Foundation. The event occurred on October 28 at London Delta Armouries with 120 attendants. The auction alone raised a whopping $10,000 and ticket sales raised $5,000 for a final count of $15,000.
Gary Fagan, president of the Canadian Liver Foundation, explained What a Girl Wants is "an opportunity to highlight both the importance of liver health and of women as our health 'guardians.'" There are over 100 forms of liver disease that affect one in 10 Canadians. The liver carries out over 500 functions and is critical to our health. "Decisions we make every day — what we eat or drink, what activities to engage in or which medications to take — can impact our liver health positively or negatively," said Fagan.
The money raised by What A Girl Wants is given to the Canadian Liver Foundation to provide grants to researchers who are finding new ways to cure liver disease. It also funds education projects.
The event was hosted by emcee's Tara Overholt from A Channel and Taylor from 102.3 BOB FM. The dynamic duo provided the entertainment and a touching element of the night was by a guest speaker. The entertainment also included both live and silent auctions with designer handbags, wine tasting and finger foods. One of the main events included a fashion show that featured fashion merchandising students from Fanshawe College. "The students either participated as models or helped to organize and carry out the show," said McKinlay.
The other aspect of the evening was hearing from guest speaker Nicole Lalonde, who spoke of her family's battle with liver disease. Her son, Jack, was born with a rare liver disease called biliary atresia, causing the complete failure of his liver at only five months old. Luckily, he received a life-saving transplant at the age of seven months and is now a healthy sixyear- old boy. There were many other heartfelt personal stories being shared by others who attended the event.
"We attracted a lot of people who wanted to come out and just have a good time while supporting the cause," said McKinlay. For more information visit: www.whatagirlwantslondon.com.
What A Girl Wants is an annual fundraiser that began in Ottawa four years ago and has spread throughout Canada to Toronto, Winnipeg, Vancouver and London. This is the second annual show in London, and it has been coined as the "ultimate girls' night out!" said Christine McKinlay, chapter manager for the Liver Foundation. Although this event is directed towards women, it is no stranger to men, welcoming anyone who wants to support the Canadian Liver Foundation. The event occurred on October 28 at London Delta Armouries with 120 attendants. The auction alone raised a whopping $10,000 and ticket sales raised $5,000 for a final count of $15,000.
Gary Fagan, president of the Canadian Liver Foundation, explained What a Girl Wants is "an opportunity to highlight both the importance of liver health and of women as our health 'guardians.'" There are over 100 forms of liver disease that affect one in 10 Canadians. The liver carries out over 500 functions and is critical to our health. "Decisions we make every day — what we eat or drink, what activities to engage in or which medications to take — can impact our liver health positively or negatively," said Fagan.
The money raised by What A Girl Wants is given to the Canadian Liver Foundation to provide grants to researchers who are finding new ways to cure liver disease. It also funds education projects.
The event was hosted by emcee's Tara Overholt from A Channel and Taylor from 102.3 BOB FM. The dynamic duo provided the entertainment and a touching element of the night was by a guest speaker. The entertainment also included both live and silent auctions with designer handbags, wine tasting and finger foods. One of the main events included a fashion show that featured fashion merchandising students from Fanshawe College. "The students either participated as models or helped to organize and carry out the show," said McKinlay.
The other aspect of the evening was hearing from guest speaker Nicole Lalonde, who spoke of her family's battle with liver disease. Her son, Jack, was born with a rare liver disease called biliary atresia, causing the complete failure of his liver at only five months old. Luckily, he received a life-saving transplant at the age of seven months and is now a healthy sixyear- old boy. There were many other heartfelt personal stories being shared by others who attended the event.
"We attracted a lot of people who wanted to come out and just have a good time while supporting the cause," said McKinlay. For more information visit: www.whatagirlwantslondon.com.
